Monster

Chapter Seventeen--New York City

Alex's warm body stiffened; I shot up in bed. No one should be knocking at our door right now. It was three in the morning.

Dr. Niles's workers would have knocked the door down, not knock like they cared about our well being. I glanced at Alex, who was standing up in his grey boxers.

"I'll get it," I stood up, walking towards the door. I felt Alex take my arm, and I turned around to his face--blue eyes missing. They were red now.

"Just in case," he grinned, "I'll get it."

The person knocked again.

"CPS, open up!" I shivered. The front desk lady must have called them. Crap.

Alex looked through the door's peep-hole, then nodded. It really was CPS. He opened the door, keeping the chain on so that only a crack of light streamed in from the well-lit hallway.

"Yes?" he muttered, obviously annoyed.

"Are you Alex Reed?"

That's the name we checked in on.

"Yes," he raised his eyebrows.

"How old are you? The ID you used to check in with said 17," the police officer said. I cussed under my breath.

"I'm seventeen," he growled.

"Is there anyone else in there?" the officer motioned to the room. Alex nodded.

"How old are they?"

"Seventeen," Alex was growing impatient.

"Female?"

"Does it matter?"

"Could you let us in?"

"Get a warrant," the discussion was getting heated. I stepped in behind Alex and smiled at the male police officer.

"Sir, everything is fine. Our parents will be here in a few days," I smiled at Alex.

"This is my brother, Alex. Could we please sleep?" I asked sweetly. The officer sighed and nodded. Alex slammed the door closed and locked it.

I laughed.

Alex scowled.

"Defensive much?" I smirked at him. He frowned.

"They could have been dangerous," he argued.

"I think next time, I'll handle it."

With that we crawled back into bed, his body heat warming me. I smiled--this was perfect. Wonderful.

I just hope it doesn't get taken away from me.

I awoke alone. The bed sheets were rumpled and the place where Alex had lain the previous night was cold. I sat up, worried something had happened.

The clock read 5:45 AM.

"Alex?" I called out tentatively. No answer--but then I realized the shower was running. My face reddened--he must be in the shower.

Naked.

The water turned off; steam rolled out from under the shower door. I quickly laid back down and pretended to sleep; Alex didn't need to know that I was embarrassed by his showering.

"Morning," I heard him say from the bathroom doorway. I blinked.

"How'd you know I was awake?"

"You were breathing like a woolly mammoth," he snickered. I rolled my eyes and sat up.

"How, exactly, does a woolly mammoth breath? Have you SEEN one?" I shot back to him.